MANAGEMENT OP VINES AND WINES IN CHAMPAGN*. 359 



from the pellicles. In some years three or four days are 

 sufficient for this ; in others- it requires ten, fifteen, or even 

 twenty. 



When the fermentation begins, the husks and stalks are Management 

 forced down so as to be entirely covered with the must, of * he femea * 

 either by means of stout poles furnished with cross pegs ; 

 or, which is better, by a couple of stout men going into the 

 vat, and well treading and mixing its contents. When the 

 air above the vat extinguishes a candle ; the stalks and husk» 

 rise forcibly, whatever pains be taken to sink them fre- 

 quently, that the must may not acquire a disagreeable taste; 

 the must experiences a degree of real ebullition ; and the 

 Colouring matter is sufficiently decomposed: the fermenta*. 

 tion must not be carried farther, lest the wine acquire a dry 

 and hard taste, not to be cured even by keeping. 



The liquor is then to be drawn off into another vat ; and Pressing. 

 the marc pressed, but only twice or three times. WhatPmting int» 

 runs from the marc being well mixed with the other, the 

 whole is to be tunned into new, well hooped casks, previ- 

 ously rineed with hot water ; -but these must not be quite 

 filled, as the wine still ferments for some days. As tha 

 fermentation abates, they are filled up, and the bung, in 

 which a little hole is made, is put in. When the fermenta- 

 tion is become imperceptible, the cask is stopped close ; 

 care is taken to fill it up from time to time, for there is 

 soon a vacuity formed in it, and even to open the bung. 



About the end of December, in dry weather, and if pos- Racking, 

 sible on a fine frosty day, because all fermentation has 

 ceased, the wine is racked off from the lees. About the 

 middle of May, before the hot weather comes on, it ia 

 racked off again, and the barrels are fresh hooped, and the Second racking. 

 wine is put into the cellar. 



When the wine' is to be sent off to the consumer, or put Third rack-in* 

 into bottles, it is fined. For this purpose the wine is racked and frying 

 off a third time; and the whites of five or six very fresh 

 eggs are well beaten up in a pint of water, without making 

 them froth if possible, for every puncheon holding 240 

 bottles. Those for white wine hold only 200. This is put 

 into the cask, and stirred about, as in fining white wine. 



The wine is generally bottled in November, or thirteen B ott r; nSr 



m.QRth# 



